Dear Homeless Guy,

Are you heading home from the Detour Festival like we are? Did you have us much fun as we did? Didn’t the Teddybears rock?

That’s pretty cool that you came by Metro, too. I’m assuming you bought a Day Pass, since you keep jumping on and off the train. The Red Line is kinda fun that way. You’re probably asking for money because you forgot about the Day Pass going up to $5.00. Maybe that’s why you’re screaming so much. I would have given you a buck, but I had to have that last churro. And that Vodka-Red Bull. And that jalapeno pizza.

What happened to your shoes? I’ll bet you lost them while getting your rave on at Stage 4. Did you trade your kicks for some E? I hope it was a fun trip. At least you scored those flip-flops. Maybe you live in Malibu.

I still think we’ve met before. Weren’t you the guy who verbally assaulted us on the Red Line because you were trying to sleep? It was February. We saw Wicked at the Pantages. I’ll bet you’d like that show.

It was good to see you again, HG. The beard looks great. Maybe you’ll join us in December for Caroling Drunks on a Train.

Yeah, that price hike sucks. And I only use the day pass every now and then. It sucks for the rest of the commuters who use the busses every day. Three dollars to five dollars seems really outrageous.

And within the next two years it will rise an additional dollar. Orginally the MTA wanted to raise the price to eight bucks over the next year or two. The price of a monthly pass goes from from $52 to $62 and eventually $75.

If you’re not a pass holder and ride the Metro occasionally, stock up on tokens. There’s no more “discount” to them but you won’t have to be fumbling for that extra quarter or wrestling with the TVM trying to feed that crumpled dollar bill in while you hear your train approach the station (always happens, as if on cue…).

Four $1.25 rides equal $5 so only buy the Day Pass when your planned trip will exceed four rides on individual bus or rail lines, otherwise you’re not getting your $5 worth.

Unless you need to transfer to another MTA bus. Then you have to pay the 1.30 all over again. A transfer is not valid for a tranfer to another line. You save money if you take a total of 4 buses. (2 on the way to your destination and 2 on the trip back)